A honked horn outside a blocked route home spiraled into death threats and an alleged gun display in Nashville's Bellshire Terrace neighborhood, and a 24-year-old man now faces four felony counts. Phillip Kedauris Donaldson is accused of threatening the family before driving off, though officers who later searched his vehicle found only an empty holster and no firearm.
Honking Dispute Escalates Into a Confrontation
According to WKRN News 2, the family honked at Donaldson because his vehicle was blocking their way home, and that honk set off the chain of events that followed. Court documents cited by the station say Donaldson then followed the family to their home after moving his vehicle, and once there, he argued with the father and one of his juvenile daughters about speeding in the neighborhood.
The Metro Nashville Police Department responded to a report of a person with a weapon in the 300 block of Bellshire Terrace Court shortly before 10:30 p.m. Thursday. The address is in Bellshire Terrace. Officers arriving on scene spoke with the father and his three children about what had happened.
Threats Caught on Camera
The family filmed the interaction as it unfolded, and per the affidavit referenced in the station's report, Donaldson told them, “I'm going to kill you,” and, “I'm going to shoot you.” He then allegedly grabbed what appeared to be a tan handgun with an extended magazine from his vehicle and continued threatening the four victims while waving the firearm around before driving away.
When officers searched Donaldson's vehicle, they found a holster but no gun inside. Despite that, police established probable cause based on the victims' statements and the footage provided by the father, and Donaldson was charged with four felony counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
The Charges After the Search
Officers found no firearm in Donaldson's vehicle, but police charged him with four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Under Tennessee law, displaying a deadly weapon can elevate an assault charge. The underlying assault may be established by causing bodily injury, extremely offensive physical contact, or placing another person in reasonable fear of imminent bodily injury, according to The Baker Law Firm and Collins Legal.
Tennessee law classifies intentional or knowing aggravated assault as a Class C felony, while reckless aggravated assault is a Class D felony. Class C felonies carry 3 to 15 years in prison and fines up to $10,000, per Collins Legal. A felony conviction can also affect firearm rights.
Tennessee's Permitless Carry Law
Tennessee has allowed eligible adults generally 21 and older, as well as people 18 and older who are in active military service or honorably discharged, to carry loaded handguns openly or concealed in public and inside vehicles without a permit or safety training since July 1, 2021, according to the Memphis Police Department. Law enforcement organizations raised safety concerns when the law changed.
Another Local Dispute
Hoodline has covered a similar Old Hickory dispute that also ended in felony arrests.
